Armored vehicle



over or in lieu of the country.

body brace, and by ear or The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without invention relates to an armored vethe ayment to me of any royalty thereon. 5 This hicle.

The armoring of automobiles has general- 1y been conducted for the sole purpose of providing protection by a pl ing armor plate bod y of the vehicle. Such adaptations, as a rule, do not material- 1y alter the general outline of the commercial body nor do they vary its travel characteristics by adapting it' for movement across As distinguished from this ty e of armored automobile, the vehicle of t e present invention, thou .a commercial 0 assis without alterations, is

co articularly developed and arranged-to emdy such characteristics as will eminently adapt and qualify it to serve as a conveyance in military operations which heretofore have been conducted with cavalry. It is provided 25 with armor as a protection against small but inasmuch as any light ararms bullets mored vehicie is vulnerable to artillery fire reliance for its protection from this class 0 weapons is placed on its speed across country "0 and its small size and low mounting whic cooperate to reduce its visibility and render it a dlficult target.

In addition to the design of the body which exactly follows the frame of a standard auto- 5 mobile chassis, the vehicle is distinguished by a novel arran ement of the compartments for the driver an nor, by a provision whereb a vision shielfi i s hinged to a cover plate of -t e motor which is pivoted on a transverse means for directing air throu h the radiate k Wi the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosedmay be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the inventions.

h designed for utilization of i 0H 8, 188$,A8 AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 737) A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fi 1 is a view in side elevation of the vehic e forming the subject of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, the cover plate of the motor compartment being broken awa a I 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the vehicle;

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively views in front and rear elevation;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the vision shield;

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail sectional views through the turret mounting.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference: 9

The vehicle comprises a body 5 mounted on a commercial automobile chassisfi whose wheels each carry a supplemental traction device 7 normally spaced from the ground and especially designed for cross country travel. The application of the traction device 7, while not novel, afi'ords an employment of the vehicle which materially afiects and is reflected in the design and arrangement of the body 5.

The body is formed of armor plate and consists essentially of two vertical side plates 8 and 9 secured toeach other and to each of the rearwardly diver 'ng frames 10 of the chassis, a vertically disposed angled front plate 11 connecting the plates 8, and a vertically dis osed, semi-cylindrical rear plate 12 connecting the plates 9. A pair of boxes 13, each secured to a side of the rear plate 12 and to one of the frames 10 meet a transverse plate 14 overlying the fuel tank 15.

The rear plate 12 being thus secured to each of the frames 10 of the chassis provides rigidity .of the side plates 9. Rigidit is additionally obtained for the interme iate portions of the body 5 by havin a partition 16 (F ig.'3) defining the rear 0 'the drivers compartment 17 secured to the floor 18 while forwardly in the body a dash plate 19 is ro-' vided which may be conveniently secure by meeting edges of the side plates 8 and 9. The dash plate extends to the floor 18 and its upper edge is flush with the upper edges of the side plates so that when a fiat cover 21 for the engine compartment 22 is in place the dash plate will serve as a partition be-' tween this compartment and the drivers compartment 17. v a The cover 21 is pivotall mounted on a rod 23 extending transverse y of and bracing the side plates 9 in rear of the dash plate. The cover conforms exactly to the shape of the forward portion of the body which it overlies and is provided marginally with apertures 24.- which receive bolts 25 fixed on the upper edge of the side plates 8 and the front angle plate 11. The cover is secured by means of nuts 26. When in closed position it is in contact with the dash plate 19 l and also with a radiator 27 forwardly of the engine 28 and fitting between the side plates 8. The cover cooperates with the front angle plate 11 to provide forwardly of the radiator an air chamber 29, the entry for which is 5 established by a deflecting plate .or scoop 30 spaced from the lower edge of the angle plate. As a consequence of this structure all of the air available will be obliged to pass through the radiator and over the en 'ne.

0 The seat 31 for the driver the floor 18 and the steerin mechanism 32 is accordingly shortened. rom this position, the driver, when seated, can look over the cover 21. A rearwardly inclined shield 33 having windows 34 of bullet-proof glass is hinged to the cover 21 and fits in a frame formed by upstanding portions 9a of the side (plates 9 and a cross piece 35. r The shiel may be secured in the raised position w in any convenient manner and when lowered onto the cover will not interfere with the vision of the driver. 7

At each side of the drivers compartment the side plates 9 include a hinged shield 36 45 having a window 37 and arranged to swing outwardly on being lowered.

) Secured to the u per portion of the semicylindrical rear p ate 12 and to a transom 38 in rear of the partition 16 is a base ring 39 on which a turret 40 is supported through rollers 41 carried by him are 42. The turret is guided by means of orizontal rollers 43. The turret carries a gun or guns 44 and a suspended seat 45 for the gunner. In order to save in weight the turret and drivers compartment are not provided with overhead protection.

From the foregoing it will be seen that while adhering to the general conformation suggested by the commercial chassis frame in so far as lateral dimensions are concerned,

a body has been provided whose sides and top are favorably disposed for the deflection of bullets. By thus afior'ding the greatest protection consistent with the thickness of rearwardly diverging is place on the armor, the been kept within the outer weight of the body has. allowance and distribution prescribed'for the commercial body of the particular chassis used.

The elements entering into the formation of the body are either items carried in stock for commercial purposes or readily fabricated and this feature, coupled with. the

adaptation of the bodyto a standard chassis will facilitate protection in an emergency.

I claim: I 1. In a motor vehicle, a chassis having frames, an armored bod comprising vertical side plates secured to t e frames, an angled plate connecting the front ends of the side plates, a semi-cylindrlcal plate connecting the rear ends of-the side plates, a radiator fitted between the side plates in front of the motor, a partition between the side plates in rear of the motor, a floor in. rear of the partition, a front seat on the floor, a rod connecting the side plates in rear of the artition, a fiat cover hinged on the rod an covering the body forwardly thereof, said cover when lowered engaging the upper edge of both the radiator and the partition, means underneath the angled front plate for directing air to the radiator, a windowed shield hinged to the rear of the cover, a frame for said shield formed by joining the side plates, a windowed shield hinged to each side plate adjacent the front seat, a transom in rear of the front seat, a base ring carried by the transom and semi-c lindrical plate and a turret mounted on the ase ring.

2. In a motor vehicle, a chassis having frames, an armored body comprising vertical side plates secured to the frames, an angled plate connecting the front ends of the side plates, a semi-cylindrical late connecting the rear ends of the side p ates, a radiator fitted between the side plates in front of the motor, a partition between the side plates in rear of the motor, a floor in rear of the partition, a rod connecting the side plates in-rear of the partition, a flat cover hinged onthe rod and coverin the body forwardly thereof, said cover w r en lowered engaging the upper edge of both the radiator and the partition, means underneath the angled directing air to the radiator, a transom in *rear of the front seat, a base ring carried tion, a rod connecting the side plates in rear of the partition, a flat cover hinged on the front plate forneaaeaa rod and covering the body forwardly thereof,

said cover when lowered engaging the upper edge of both the radiator and the partltlon and means underneath the angled front plate for directing air to the radiator.

4. In a motor vehicle, a chassis having rearwardly diverging frames, an armored body on the frames comprising side plates secured vertically thereto, a vertically disposed angled front plate connecting the front ends of the side plates, a semi-cylindrical plate connecting the rearends of the 7 side plates, a box secured to the rear extremit of each frame and to the semi-cylindrical p ate, a pair of partitions transversel bracing theside plates and definin a rivers and a gunner s compartment, an a cover for the forward portion of the vehicle hingedly mounted in rear of the foremost partition. 5. In a motor vehicle, a chassis havin rearwardly diverging frames, an armore body on the frames comprising side plates secured vertically thereto, a vertically disposed angled front plate connecting the front ends of the side lates, a semi-cylindrical plate connecting t e rear ends of the side plates, a pair of partitions transversel bracing the side plates and definin a rivers and a gunners compartment, am? a cover for the forward portion of the vehicle.

6. In a motor vehicle, a chassis, an armored body including side plates secured vertically to the frame of the chassis, an angled front plate connecting the front plates, a radiator and a partition fitted between and flush with the tops of the side plates and defining a motor compartment, a rod connecting the side plates in rear'of the partition, a flat cover hinged on the rod and 40 coverin the body forwardly thereof, said cover w en lowered engaging the up I edge of the radiator and partition, a wmdowed shield hinged to the rear of the cover, a frame for said shield formed by joining the side plates, and means underneath the angled front plate for directing air into the radiator. 7. In a motor vehicle, a chassis, an armored body including side plates secured vertically to the frame of the chassis, a front plate connecting the front ends of the side plates, a radiator and a partition fitted between and flush with the tops of the side plates and defining a motor compartment, a rod connecting 55 the side plates in rear of the partition, a fiat cover hinged on the rod and covering the body forwardly thereof, said cover when lowered engaging the upper edge of the radiator and L partition, and a windowed shield carried by the cover. a

8. In combination with a motor vehicle radiator, side supports for the radiator, a vertically disposed angled plate secured to the side supports, a cover fitting over the radiator and the angled plate, and a scoop providing ends of the side.

carried on the rear end of the cover.

BRUCE PALMER. 

